Summer México 2014 #africa #sydney #parís #europa #china
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Spring...Otupae Sheep Station Rural Landscape Gentle Annie Road Napier - Taihape New Zealand
Otupae Station is located about halfway between Taihape and Napier and covers an area of 8632ha, of which 5100ha is in grass with 165 paddocks. At an elevation of between 580m on its western boundary on the banks of the Rangitikei River to 1380m on its eastern boundary with Mangaohane Station, Otupae can be bitterly cold in winter and almost desert-like in summer. Snow can fall any time of the year. (My parents who were on Mangaohane Station in the early 1950s experienced a white christmas...a very heavy fall of snow for summer) About 16% is cultivatable, 41% moderately steep hill country and 43% very steep including mountainous country within the northern Ruahine Range. The area is normally regarded as summer safe in spite of the annual average rainfall being only 900mm. It is normally evenly spread throughout the year, one of the strengths of farming in the area. Soils on Otupae consist of various sedimentary rock types – mainly greywacke and consolidated sandstones and limestones – overlaid on all but the steep slopes with volcanic ash from either Taupo or Tongariro eruptions. As would be expected on such a large station with contrasting contour, soil nutrient levels are extremely variable.
Looking towards Mt Feathertop
View on and from Mt Hotham.. Mount Hotham is a mountain in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, located in the Australian state of Victoria. The mountain is located approximately 357 kilometres (222 mi) north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres (464 mi) from Sydney, and 997 kilometres (620 mi) from Adelaide by road. The nearest major road to mountain is the Great Alpine Road.. . Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of 1,862 metres (6,109 ft) AHD
View on and from Mt Hotham
View on and from Mt Hotham.- lines of skeleton snowgums from previous bush fires 2003-2006. Mount Hotham is a mountain in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, located in the Australian state of Victoria. The mountain is located approximately 357 kilometres (222 mi) north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres (464 mi) from Sydney, and 997 kilometres (620 mi) from Adelaide by road. The nearest major road to mountain is the Great Alpine Road.. . Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of 1,862 metres (6,109 ft) AHD
Layers. One last view before we leave this wonderland.
View from Mt Hotham.. Mount Hotham is a mountain in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, located in the Australian state of Victoria. The mountain is located approximately 357 kilometres (222 mi) north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres (464 mi) from Sydney, and 997 kilometres (620 mi) from Adelaide by road. The nearest major road to mountain is the Great Alpine Road.. . Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of 1,862 metres (6,109 ft) AHD
Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia, viewed from Henry Ross Lookout on the Kuranda Range
Cairns (/ˈkænz/), is a major city on the east coast of Far North Queensland in Australia. The city is the 5th most populous in Queensland and 14th overall in Australia. Cairns was founded in 1876 and named after William Wellington Cairns, Governor of Queensland from 1875-1877. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but declined when an easier route was discovered from Port Douglas. It later developed into a railhead and major port for exporting sugar cane, gold and other metals, minerals and agricultural products from surrounding coastal areas and the Atherton Tableland region. The estimated residential population of the Cairns urban area in 2015 was 147,993. Based on 2015 data, the associated local government area has experienced an average annual growth rate of 2.3% over the last 10 years. Cairns is a popular tourist destination because of its tropical climate and access to the Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Cairns experiences a tropical climate, specifically a tropical monsoon climate (Am) under the Köppen climate classification. A wet season with heavy monsoonal downpours runs from November to May, with a relatively dry season from June to October, though light showers can occur during this period. Cairns' mean annual rainfall is just over 2,000 millimetres (79 in), although monthly totals in the wet season (Dec-Mar) can exceed 1,000 mm (39 in), with the highest rainfall being recorded in any month in January 1981, where over 1,417.4 mm (55.80 in) of rain fell. Babinda, a town to the south of the city, is one of Australia's wettest towns, recording an annual rainfall of over 4,200 mm (170 in). Cairns has hot, humid summers and milder temperatures in winter.] Mean maximum temperatures vary from 25.7 °C (78.3 °F) in July to 31.5 °C (88.7 °F) in January. Monsoonal activity during the wet season occasionally causes major flooding of the Barron and Mulgrave Rivers, cutting off road and rail access to the city. Cairns has 89.7 clear days, annually. Dewpoint in the wet season (summer) averages at 23 °C (73 °F). Tourism plays a major part in the Cairns economy. According to Tourism Australia, the Cairns region is the fourth-most popular destination for international tourists in Australia after Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. While the city does not rank amongst Australia's top 10 destinations for domestic tourism, it attracts a significant number of Australian holiday makers despite its distance from major capitals. There is also a growing interest in Cairns from the Chinese leisure market with occasional direct flights from Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou. During the 2013 Chinese Lunar New Year period alone, Cairns saw 20,000 Chinese holidaymakers flying in on chartered flights. The city is near the Great Barrier Reef, the Wet Tropics of Queensland, and the Atherton Tableland. The Cairns esplanade includes a swimming lagoon with adjoining barbecue areas. In May 2003, the then Cairns Mayor Kevin Byrne declared that topless sunbathing is permitted here, as the area is a gathering point for people from around the world who may wish to do so.
Mt Feathertop from Mt Hotham
View on and from Mt Hotham.. Mount Hotham is a mountain in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, located in the Australian state of Victoria. The mountain is located approximately 357 kilometres (222 mi) north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres (464 mi) from Sydney, and 997 kilometres (620 mi) from Adelaide by road. The nearest major road to mountain is the Great Alpine Road.. . Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of 1,862 metres (6,109 ft) AHD
Ski runs in summer
View on and from Mt Hotham.. Mount Hotham is a mountain in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, located in the Australian state of Victoria. The mountain is located approximately 357 kilometres (222 mi) north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres (464 mi) from Sydney, and 997 kilometres (620 mi) from Adelaide by road. The nearest major road to mountain is the Great Alpine Road.. . Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of 1,862 metres (6,109 ft) AHD
Mt Feathertop
View on and from Mt Hotham.. Mount Hotham is a mountain in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, located in the Australian state of Victoria. The mountain is located approximately 357 kilometres (222 mi) north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres (464 mi) from Sydney, and 997 kilometres (620 mi) from Adelaide by road. The nearest major road to mountain is the Great Alpine Road.. . Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of 1,862 metres (6,109 ft) AHD
matte painting Ragusa e i tre ponti
The matte painting (which can be translated with painting backgrounds) is a technique used mainly in film used to allow the representation of landscapes or places otherwise too costly or impossible to reconstruct or reach directly. Ask for a preventive in my virtual shop at the site mobiliperufficio.com/Maurizio_Poli/home Richiedete un preventico nel mio negozio virtuale al sito mobiliperufficio.com/Maurizio_Poli/home
Stanwell Park, New South Wales
Stanwell Park is a picturesque coastal village and northern suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
Mount Hotham vegetation, off Machinery Spur track
Views off Loch Ridge -Machinery Spur track. Mount Hotham is a mountain in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, located in the Australian state ofThe mountain is located approximately 357 kilometres (222 mi) north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres (464 mi) from Sydney, and 997 kilometres (620 mi) from Adelaide by road. The nearest major road to mountain is the Great Alpine Road.. Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of 1,862 metres (6,109 ft) AHD
Interleaving layers
View from Mt Hotham. Skeletonised snow gums - killed in either the 2003 or 2006-7 bush fires. Mount Hotham is a mountain in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, located in the Australian state of Victoria. The mountain is located approximately 357 kilometres (222 mi) north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres (464 mi) from Sydney, and 997 kilometres (620 mi) from Adelaide by road. The nearest major road to mountain is the Great Alpine Road. Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of 1,862 metres (6,109 ft) AHD
A mossy glade
View off the track to Mt Loch- Mt Hotham.. I would have liked to get down into it but a bit steep for me! Mount Hotham is a mountain in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, located in the Australian state of Victoria. The mountain is located approximately 357 kilometres (222 mi) north east of Melbourne, 746 kilometres (464 mi) from Sydney, and 997 kilometres (620 mi) from Adelaide by road. The nearest major road to mountain is the Great Alpine Road.. . Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of 1,862 metres (6,109 ft) AHD
Val Venosta - Winschgau Valley
Vista da Malles, in una giornata senza sole (sigh!). Dal Passo di Resia, dove sorge l'Adige arriva fino alle porte di Merano, costituendo il lembo più occidentale della Provincia di Bolzano. Confina a nord con l'Austria, a ovest con la Svizzera, a sud con la Lombardia ed il Trentino e ad est con il Burgraviato. La valle è prima in direzione nord-sud, poi (da Sluderno) in direzione ovest-est. È sormontata dal Gruppo dell'Ortles a sud-ovest e dalle Alpi Venoste a nord-est. L'Ortles (3.906 m s.l.m.) tra le valli di Solda e Trafoi (comune di Stelvio) è la montagna più alta del Trentino-Alto Adige. Ai suoi piedi si trova il Passo dello Stelvio (2.760 m s.l.m.) con la nota strada panoramica particolarmente importante per la storia del ciclismo su strada. La Venosta è la zona con meno precipitazioni delle alpi orientali. Caratteristico è il Monte Sole, sul versante meridonale delle Alpi Venoste, che mostra un clima arido-stepposo e una vegetazione unica in tutto l'arco alpino. Solo dal dopoguerra in poi una politica di riforestazione ha cambiato volto a gran parte di questo territorio, anche snaturandolo per via della preferenza accordata a una monocoltura di pino nero, estraneo alla vegetazione autoctona. Secondo una leggenda che ancora oggi viene presa per vera da molti venostani, ma chiaramente smentita dagli storici, il Monte Sole sarebbe stata anticamente ricoperte di vaste foreste di querce, che sarebbero state tagliate per fornire il legname necessario alla costruzione di Venezia.[senza fonte] Il fondovalle fino alle bonifiche asburgiche del 18./19. secolo era in prevalenza paludoso, dopodiché la Val Venosta arrivò a meritarsi l'appellativo di "granaio del Tirolo" per la conclamata fertilità dei suoi terreni. Oggi è caratterizzata da estesissime piantagioni di mele, che rendono l'agricoltura ancora l'attività più diffusa (un quarto della popolazione attiva vi trova occupazione). L'altro motore dell'economia locale è il turismo, sia estivo che invernale, anche se la Venosta non è così ricca di infrastrutture turistiche come altre zona dell'Alto Adige. Piccole industrie sono presente in quasi tutti i comuni della valle. Inoltre vi è una rete capillare di aziende artigianali e commerciali a gestione familiare. Verso il passo di Resia si trova la diga del lago di Resia, il più grande lago dell'Alto Adige, dove il campanile del paese sommerso di Curon Venosta spunta dalle acque (il paese venne ricostruito situato più in alto dopo la costruzione della diga nel 1950). Sulla destra dell'Adige, fino in Lombardia, ampia zona del territorio è incluso nel Parco nazionale dello Stelvio. La ferrovia della Val Venosta, la ex linea Merano-Malles delle Ferrovie dello Stato, fu da queste classificata come "ramo secco" e chiusa nel 1990. Dopo essere passato nelle mani della provincia di Bolzano e profondamente restaurata, è ora di nuovo in funzione dal 5 maggio del 2005. Fino al primo '800 specialmente nell'Alta Val Venosta la lingua della popolazione era ancora il romancio e gli scambi culturali più intensi avvenivano con le valli svizzere di Monastero e dell'Engadina, dove si parlava la stessa lingua. Tuttavia, gli abitanti di queste valli si erano convertiti al protestantesimo e questo portò il governo asburgico a politiche di germanizzazione forzata della Venosta a partire dall'epoca della Controriforma. L'eredità ladina si rispecchia ancora in molti vocaboli del dialetto locale, toponimi e cognomi. (fonte: Wikipedia) View from Malles in a day without sunshine (sigh!). From Reschen Pass, where the Tyrol comes up on the outskirts of Merano, and is the westernmost corner of the Province of Bolzano. Bordered to the north by Austria, on the west by Switzerland to the south with Lombardy and Trentino, and to the east with the Burggrafenamt. The valley is the first in a north-south, then (by Sluderno) towards the west-east. It is surmounted by the Group Ortles southwest Venosta Alps and north-east. The Ortles (3,906 m asl) between the valleys of Solda and Trafoi (Joint Stelvio) is the highest mountain in the Trentino-Alto Adige. At its foot lies the Passo dello Stelvio (2760 m asl) with the known scenic route is particularly important for the history of cycling on the road. The Venosta is the area with less precipitation of the eastern Alps. Characteristic is the Monte Sole, on the meridonale Venosta Alps, which shows a climate-arid steppe vegetation and a unique all over the Alps. Only after the war on a policy of reforestation activities, has changed much of this territory, even distorting due to the preference given to a monoculture of black pine, outside vegetation. Legend has it that even today is taken for true by many venostani but clearly disproved by historians, the Monte Sole was once covered with vast forests of oak, which would have been felled to supply timber needed for the construction of Venice. [Without source ] The valley floor to the rehabilitation of the Habsburg 18./19. century was mostly marshland, then Val Venosta came to deserve the nickname of "granary of Tyrol for the confirmation of its land fertility. Today is characterized by extensive plantations of apples, which make agriculture even more widespread the activity (one fourth of the population finds employment). The other engine of the local economy is tourism, both summer and winter, although the Venosta is not as rich as other tourist area of South Tyrol. Small industries are present in almost all municipalities in the valley. There is also a network of firms and commercial craft a family. Going step Reschen is the dam of Lake Reschen, the largest lake in South Tyrol, where the bell tower of the submerged village of Curon Venosta check by the water (the town was rebuilt located further up after the construction of the dam in 1950). On the right dell'Adige up in Sydney, a large area of land is included in the Stelvio National Park. The railway in Val Venosta, the former line Merano-Mals State Railways, was by these classified as "dry branch," and closed in 1990. After passing into the hands of the Province of Bolzano and profoundly restored, is now back in operation since May 5th 2005. Until the first'800 especially in the Alta Val Venosta the language of the population was still Romansch and cultural exchanges were more intense with the valleys of Switzerland and the Engadine Monastery, where he spoke the same language. However, the inhabitants of these valleys had converted to Protestantism and that brought the Habsburg Empire in government policies of forced germanization Venosta starting from the time of the Counter Reformation. The ladina heritage is reflected even in many of the local dialect vocabulary, place names and surnames. (source: Wikipedia)
Dusty summer road
I stopped when I saw dust in the rear view mirror. Then the truck came over the hill and I had to leave quickly! Taken on my way home from work last Friday. Thinking of our friends in Sydney tonight. Our son who works there has had lunch at the Lindt cafe a number of times but not today! Thanks for your comments and faves. Much appreciated. Next photo is from the top of this hill looking back.
Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia, viewed from Wright's Lookout on the Kuranda Range
Cairns (/ˈkænz/), is a major city on the east coast of Far North Queensland in Australia. The city is the 5th most populous in Queensland and 14th overall in Australia. Cairns was founded in 1876 and named after William Wellington Cairns, Governor of Queensland from 1875-1877. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but declined when an easier route was discovered from Port Douglas. It later developed into a railhead and major port for exporting sugar cane, gold and other metals, minerals and agricultural products from surrounding coastal areas and the Atherton Tableland region. The estimated residential population of the Cairns urban area in 2015 was 147,993. Based on 2015 data, the associated local government area has experienced an average annual growth rate of 2.3% over the last 10 years. Cairns is a popular tourist destination because of its tropical climate and access to the Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Cairns experiences a tropical climate, specifically a tropical monsoon climate (Am) under the Köppen climate classification. A wet season with heavy monsoonal downpours runs from November to May, with a relatively dry season from June to October, though light showers can occur during this period. Cairns' mean annual rainfall is just over 2,000 millimetres (79 in), although monthly totals in the wet season (Dec-Mar) can exceed 1,000 mm (39 in), with the highest rainfall being recorded in any month in January 1981, where over 1,417.4 mm (55.80 in) of rain fell. Babinda, a town to the south of the city, is one of Australia's wettest towns, recording an annual rainfall of over 4,200 mm (170 in). Cairns has hot, humid summers and milder temperatures in winter.] Mean maximum temperatures vary from 25.7 °C (78.3 °F) in July to 31.5 °C (88.7 °F) in January. Monsoonal activity during the wet season occasionally causes major flooding of the Barron and Mulgrave Rivers, cutting off road and rail access to the city. Cairns has 89.7 clear days, annually. Dewpoint in the wet season (summer) averages at 23 °C (73 °F). Tourism plays a major part in the Cairns economy. According to Tourism Australia, the Cairns region is the fourth-most popular destination for international tourists in Australia after Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. While the city does not rank amongst Australia's top 10 destinations for domestic tourism, it attracts a significant number of Australian holiday makers despite its distance from major capitals. There is also a growing interest in Cairns from the Chinese leisure market with occasional direct flights from Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou. During the 2013 Chinese Lunar New Year period alone, Cairns saw 20,000 Chinese holidaymakers flying in on chartered flights. The city is near the Great Barrier Reef, the Wet Tropics of Queensland, and the Atherton Tableland. The Cairns esplanade includes a swimming lagoon with adjoining barbecue areas. In May 2003, the then Cairns Mayor Kevin Byrne declared that topless sunbathing is permitted here, as the area is a gathering point for people from around the world who may wish to do so.
Next Stop Home
Hornby Lighthouse, Watsons Bay, Sydney.
Mt Cook National Park - New Zealand
Photographer © Leon Sidik © All rights reserved. Use without permission is illegal. Please do not use this image for any purpose (such as; do not use the image on your website, blog, or other media) without my express written permission. Contact me via my web site for permission or licensing information. www.leonsidik.com Join My Facebook Fan Page
Looking back at how far I've come
Not quite to the first ridge, climbing Mt Elbert last summer
Hot Summers View || BLUE MOUNTAINS
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rhyspopephotography Twitter: twitter.com/#!/rhyspope Needs to be viewed on black - PRESS "L" The Blue Mountains is a mountainous region in New South Wales, Australia. It borders on Sydney's metropolitan area, its foothills starting approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of the state capital. The area begins on the west side of the Nepean River and extends westward as far as Coxs River. Geologically, it is situated in the central parts of the Sydney Basin. Consisting mainly of a sandstone plateau, the area is dissected by gorges up to 760 metres (2,490 ft) deep. The highest point of the range is Mount Werong at 1,215 metres (3,986 ft) above sea level. A large part of the Blue Mountains is incorporated into the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site, consisting of seven national park areas and a conservation reserve. The Blue Mountains area includes the local government areas of the City of Blue Mountains, the City of Hawkesbury, the City of Lithgow and Oberon.
Summer Scene Sydney
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Omaha Beach - Charlie Sector, Normandy
Omaha Beach - Charlie Sector, Vierville-Sur-Mer, Normandy Omaha Beach Omaha beach is a stretch of beach roughly 5 miles or 8 km. long between Vierville-sur-Mer and Ste Honorine des pertes on the coast of Normandy. It was one of the five designated landing areas for the biggest invasion ever during WWII in the summer of 1944. Omaha was divided into ten sectors by the Allies; codenamed (from west to east): Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog Green, Dog White, Dog Red, Easy Green, Easy Red, Fox Green and Fox Red. On june 6, 1944 -D-Day - the initial assault on Omaha was to be made by two Regimental Combat Teams (RCT), supported by two tank battalions, with two battalions of Rangers also attached. The RCT's were part of the veteran 1st Infantry division ("The Big Red One") and the untested 29th div.("Blue and Grey") , a National Guard unit. The plan was to make frontal assaults at the "draws" (valleys) in the bluffs which dominate the coast in Normandy. Codenamed west to east they were called D-1, D-3, E-1, E-3 and F-1 . These draws could then be used to move inland with reserves and vehicles. The German defenders were not stupid; they knew the draws were vital and concentrated their limited resources in defending them. To this end and lead by the famous "Desert Fox" Field-Marshall Erwin Rommel they built "Widerstandsneste" with AT guns, mortars, MG's in Tobruk's, trenches and bunkers. These were manned by soldiers of the German 716th and 352nd Infantry Division, a large portion of whom were teenagers, though they were supplemented by veterans who had fought on the Eastern Front . All in all some 1100 German soldiers defended the entire Omaha beach sector. Preliminary bombardments were almost totally ineffective and when the initial waves landed at low tide they met with fiece opposition of an enemy well dug in and prepared. Most of the floating tanks (Sherman DD type) never made it to the beach due to the rough seas or were taken out by AT guns. Their role to support the infantry following them was reduced to almost zero before the battle even begun. Casualties were heaviest amongst the troops landing at either end of Omaha. At Fox Green and Easy Red scattered elements of three companies were reduced to half strength by the time they gained the relative safety of the shingle, many of them having crawled the app. 300 yards (270 m) of beach just ahead of the incoming tide. Casualties were especially heavy amongst the first waves of infantry and the "gap assault teams" made by Combat Engineers - at Omaha these were tasked with blasting channels through the beach obstacles. Situation at Dog Green and Easy Red by mid morning was so bad with nearly all the troops essentially pinned down on the beach gen. Eisenhower seriously considered to abandon the operation; in "First Wave at OMAHA Beach", S.L.A. Marshall, chief U.S. Army combat historian, called it "an epic human tragedy which in the early hours bordered on total disaster." As the first waves of infantry, tanks and combat engineers landing directly opposite the "draws" were pinned down it was up to forces landing on the flanks of these strongpoints to penetrate the weaker German defences by climbing the bluffs. Doing this they had to overcome minefields and barbed wire as well as machinegun fire from German positions but they did and they were able to attack some key strongpoints from the side and the rear, taking them out by early afternoon. This happened on several spots at Omaha and essentially saved the day: individual acts of initiative by lower ranked officers and courage like that of First Lieutenant Jimmy Monteith, who led a group of men to take one of the key German widerstandsneste and was killed in action, succeeded where a flawed plan failed. By the end of the day most of the German strongpoints had been taken and the battle was won - albeit at a terrible cost. "Saving Private Ryan" The real events which inspired the famous first scene of the 1998 movie "Saving Private Ryan" took place here. The unit depicted in the movie was inspired by Charlie Company of the 2nd Ranger Batallion. They were supposed to land on Charlie sector which can be seen here and borders on the vitally important Dog-1 exit towards Vierville-sur-Mer, a "draw"in the bluffs which overlook Omaha and one of the few places to land armoured vehicles and tanks. Of course the Germans also knew this and made Dog-1 one of the heaviest defended places on Omaha. Charlie Company landed here with two platoons in two LCA's. Their plan was to support the men of A company of the 116th, the first wave to storm Dog-1 and they were landing minutes behind them just to their right. "At approximately 4:00 a.m., after a light meal of coffee and flapjacks, Company C's first and second platoons boarded two LCAs and departed from HMS Prince Charles. The LCAs meet with Company A units of the 116th at HMS Empire Javelin, and then proceeded towards the French coast. The first platoon (LCA 418) was commanded by Lieutenant William Moody, and the second platoon (LCA 1038) was commanded by Lieutenant Sydney Salomon. The commander of the company, Captain Ralph Goranson, rode with the first platoon. The rough and frigid seas caused many of the men to become seasick during the ten mile journey to the beach. Wet, cold and ill, the men of Company C prepared to land. Landing at approximately 6:45 a.m., both LCAs were raked with gun, mortar and artillery fire after lowering their ramps, and LCA 418 was wrecked shortly afterwards by three artillery rounds. In a short time Company C had incurred 50% casualties. Unable to contact Company A of the 116th by radio, and seeing the beating that the 29th Division was receiving at Dog Green, Captain Goranson ordered his surviving men to proceed up the cliffs. Following his men, Goranson himself reached the top around 7:15 a.m. Assisted by a boat team from Company B of the 116th, the Company C Rangers spent many hours clearing a fortified house and trench system near the Vierville draw before continuing on to the Point. Although not a part of their mission objectives, this action was significant in reducing the amount of German firepower that had been brought to bear on the Vierville exit." (Saving Private Ryan online encyclopedia) On the Photo: These are the bluffs overlooking Charlie and Dog Green sector; towards the right of the photo note the slope upwards. On top was the "fortified House", it has been demolished after the war. Pointe du Hoc is a short distance towards the right, the plan was for the Rangers to take Easy-1 and then link up with their Rangers mates which landed over there. Shot with a Nikon D70 and Tokina AT-X Pro SD 12-24mm F4 lens, august 2011. Tonemapped using three differently exposed (handheld) shots. See my other Omaha beach photo's for more viewpoints, panorama shots and notes on the fighting
Skies Over Western Sydney
A shot looking towards Sydney from my home town of Kurrajong. Just another beautiful afternoon spent looking at the same views I see everyday, but they never seem to get old! Hope you guys like this one!
Spring Arriving...Otupae Sheep Station Gentle Annie Road Napier - Taihape New Zealand
Otupae Station is located about halfway between Taihape and Napier and covers an area of 8632ha, of which 5100ha is in grass with 165 paddocks. About 16% is cultivatable, 41% moderately steep hill country and 43% very steep including mountainous country within the northern Ruahine Range. The area is normally regarded as summer safe in spite of the annual average rainfall being only 900mm. It is normally evenly spread throughout the year, one of the strengths of farming in the area. Soils on Otupae consist of various sedimentary rock types – mainly greywacke and consolidated sandstones and limestones – overlaid on all but the steep slopes with volcanic ash from either Taupo or Tongariro eruptions. As would be expected on such a large station with contrasting contour, soil nutrient levels are extremely variable.
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